Mirjam van Praag

Céline Mirjam van Praag served as chair of the Executive Board of VU Amsterdam from March 2018 to September 2023.{{cite web | url=https://vu.nl/nl/nieuws/2022/bestuursvoorzitter-mirjam-van-praag-stopt-per-september-2023 | title=Bestuursvoorzitter Mirjam van Praag stopt per september 2023 }} Previously, she was a professor of Entrepreneurship at Copenhagen Business School, where she was the first to hold the Maersk McKinney Moller chair,{{cite web | url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/cbs-research-projects/major-research-projects/endowed-professorships/maersk-mckinney-moller-chair-in-entrepreneurship | title=Mærsk McKinney Møller Chair in Entrepreneurship | date=2 February 2018 }} and professor of Entrepreneurship and Organization at the University of Amsterdam{{cite web | url=https://business-society.org/people_profile/mirjam-van-praag/ | title=Mirjam van Praag - VU Center for Business & Society }} where she founded and led{{cite web | url=https://managementscope.nl/manager/mirjam-van-praag | title=Mirjam van Praag - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam }} the Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE) and was a crown member of the Social and Economic Council (SER).{{cite web | url=https://managementscope.nl/manager/mirjam-van-praag | title=Mirjam van Praag - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam }}

Mirjam van Praag is the younger daughter of the econometrician Bernard van Praag and Loes van Wezel, and a granddaughter of the hispanist [http://Jaap%20van%20Praag J.A. van Praag]. Her parents are from Jewish families and went into hiding during World War II. She grew up with her older sister near Rotterdam and graduated from the Gymnasium Beta at Scholengemeenschap de Krimpenerwaard in 1986.{{cite web | url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirjamvanpraag/ | title=Mirjam van Praag | LinkedIn }} From the ages of 15 to 21, she was a member of the Jewish youth association Haboniem-Dror.{{cite web | url=https://fd.nl/mensen/1117447/verrassend-dat-ik-naar-amsterdam-terug-wilde | title='Verrassend dat ik naar Amsterdam terug wilde' }}

Van Praag graduated cum laude in econometrics from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) in 1991.{{cite web | url=https://fd.nl/samenleving/1487832/mirjam-van-praag-ondernemers-zijn-als-kinderen | title=Mirjam van Praag: 'Ondernemers zijn als kinderen' }} During her studies, she was a member of the [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRA student association SSRA]. She worked as a student assistant at SEO Economic Research while studying.{{cite web | url=https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEO_Economisch_Onderzoek | title=SEO Economisch Onderzoek }}

From September 1992 to the end of 1995, she worked on her PhD research while teaching microeconomics at the Faculty of Economics and Business at UvA. Her PhD supervisors were Prof J.S. (Mars) Cramer and Prof J. (Joop) Hartog. Simultaneously, she worked at Intomart GfK as a junior new business developer and advisor. During her doctoral research, she lived in Israel for half a year and worked at Tel Aviv University. She obtained her PhD cum laude from the University of Amsterdam in 1996 in economic sciences. The title of her dissertation was Determinants of Successful Entrepreneurship{{cite web | url=https://albumacademicum.uva.nl/id/id000845 | title=Album Academicum }} and was later published by Edward Elgar Publishing.{{cite book | url=https://www.elgaronline.com/monobook/9781843761617.xml | isbn=978-1-84542-688-0 | title=Successful Entrepreneurship | chapter=Successful Entrepreneurship: Confronting Economic Theory with Empirical Practice | date=25 November 2005 | publisher=Edward Elgar }}

Prior to her PhD journey at UvA, Van Praag worked as a financial analyst at Procter & Gamble (1991-1992).{{cite web | url=https://fd.nl/samenleving/1487832/mirjam-van-praag-ondernemers-zijn-als-kinderen | title=Mirjam van Praag: 'Ondernemers zijn als kinderen' }} After her PhD, she worked for three years at the Boston Consulting Group,{{cite web | url=https://fd.nl/samenleving/1487832/mirjam-van-praag-ondernemers-zijn-als-kinderen | title=Mirjam van Praag: 'Ondernemers zijn als kinderen' }} returning to academia at the end of 1998 as Associate Professor of Organization Economicshttps://www.parool.nl/nederland/vu-bestuursvoorzitter-mirjam-van-praag-deze-pandemie-is-ook-een-groot-experiment~b5a11477/?utm_campaign=shared_earned&utm_medium=social&utm_source=whatsapp at the University of Amsterdam.{{cite web | url=https://www.uva.nl/content/nieuws/hoogleraarsbenoemingen/2006/02/mw-dr-c-m-van-praag.html | title=Mw. Dr. C.M. Van Praag | date=8 February 2006 }} From this role, the bachelor’s and master’s programs in 'Organization Economics' emerged. In 2005, Van Praag was appointed as a professor of "Entrepreneurship & Organization" at UvA{{cite web | url=https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/live-work-study/schools-universities-and-education-providers/all/education-providers/amsterdam-center-for-entrepreneurship-ace | title=Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE) }} and founded the Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship (ACE), which has grown into a large Amsterdam collaboration bridging academia with Dutch businesses, policymakers, and (student) entrepreneurs.The minors in entrepreneurship at the Amsterdam knowledge institutions have emerged from this, as well as the joint Master's in Entrepreneurship from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and VU University Amsterdam (VU).{{cite web | url=https://www.folia.nl/wetenschap/54893 | title=Folia }}

In early 2014, Van Praag was appointed the first professor on the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller endowed chair at Copenhagen Business School.{{cite web | url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/cbs-research-projects/major-research-projects/endowed-professorships/maersk-mckinney-moller-chair-in-entrepreneurship | title=Mærsk McKinney Møller Chair in Entrepreneurship | date=2 February 2018 }} In March 2018, she returned to Amsterdam as Chair of the Executive Board of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, succeeding Jaap Winter.{{cite web | url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/research/cbs-research-projects/major-research-projects/endowed-professorships/maersk-mckinney-moller-chair-in-entrepreneurship | title=Mærsk McKinney Møller Chair in Entrepreneurship | date=2 February 2018 }} At her farewell after 5.5 years as chair in September 2023,{{cite web | url=https://vu.nl/nl/nieuws/2022/bestuursvoorzitter-mirjam-van-praag-stopt-per-september-2023 | title=Bestuursvoorzitter Mirjam van Praag stopt per september 2023 }} she received the Frans Banning Cocq Medal from Mayor Femke Halsema for her contributions to the university and entrepreneurship in the city.{{cite web | url=https://www.amsterdam.nl/bestuur-organisatie/college/onderscheidingen/amsterdammers/persberichten-onderscheidingen-2023/collegevoorzitter-vrije-universiteit/ | title=Collegevoorzitter Vrije Universiteit ontvangt Frans Banninck Cocqpenning }} Margrethe Jonkman followed Van Praag as chair of VU Amsterdam.

Since September 2023, Van Praag has been a professor of Entrepreneurship & Leadership at VU Amsterdam. Beginning in March 2025, she will combine this chair with the chairmanship of the [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adviesraad%20voor%20wetenschap,%20technologie%20en%20innovatie Advisory Council for Science Technology and Innovation] (AWTI),{{cite web | url=https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adviesraad_voor_wetenschap,_technologie_en_innovatie | title=Adviesraad voor wetenschap, technologie en innovatie }} succeeding Eppo Bruins, who has been appointed Minister of Education, Culture and Science in the Schoof cabinet.{{cite web | url=https://www.awti.nl/actueel/nieuws/2024/07/02/awti-voorzitter-eppo-bruins-nieuwe-minister-van-onderwijs-cultuur-en-wetenschap | title=AWTI-voorzitter Eppo Bruins nieuwe minister van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap - Nieuwsbericht - Adviesraad voor wetenschap, technologie en innovatie | date=2 July 2024 }}

Van Praag is a supervisor/commissioner at De [http://De%20Nederlandsche%20Bank Nederlandsche Bank] (2020-) and a member of the Bank Council. In 2021, she succeeded Alexander Rinnooy Kan as chair of the Supervisory Board of Debate and Cultural Center De Balie. She is also vice-chair of the Supervisory Board of the Anne Frank Foundation(2019-); a board member of the American European Community Association in The Netherlands (2021-); chair of the regents of the [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prof.%20F.%20de%20Vries%20Stichting Professor De Vries Foundation] (2024-), as successor to Hans Schenk, a commissioner of BiotechBooster (2024-), and a member of advisory councils like De Nationale Denktank (2025-) and Everyday Heroes (2020-) and National Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism (NCAB, 2023-).

In the past, Van Praag has held various additional positions, such as being a crown member of the Social and Economic Council (2010-2018), chair of the Amsterdam Academic Club (2010-2013), and a commissioner of organizations like Algemene Pensioen Groep and Berlingske Media part of DPG Media (2014-2019).

== Research ==

Mirjam van Praag is a prominent researcher into the economic role and significance of entrepreneurship. She uses advanced econometric models to study the motivations and success factors of entrepreneurs. Additionally, she conducts research using (field) experiments to investigate the impact of different interventions on entrepreneurs' behavior. Her publications emphasize the importance of education for successful entrepreneurship and demonstrate that teams with a balanced composition perform better than those with a one-sided makeup.{{cite web | url=https://www.knaw.nl/leden/praag-1 | title=Mirjam van Praag - KNAW - KNAW }} Van Praag's more recent work has provided important insights into the dynamics of entrepreneurship and leadership, as well as the differences in attitudes and behavior between entrepreneurs and managers/executives.

Van Praag's research topics in the field of entrepreneurship include:

1. Success and Failure: Research on the factors contributing to the success and failure of entrepreneurs, such as the role of education, skills, experience, and intelligence. Her work has contributed to a better understanding of what makes entrepreneurs successful and how entrepreneurship can be promoted. Her main co-authors in this area are Gary Duschnitsky, Joop Hartog, Simon Parker, Justin van der Sluis, and Diego Zunino.
2. Motivation, Incentives, and Behavior of Entrepreneurs (vs Managers): Using experiments and models, Van Praag investigates the behavioral attitude of entrepreneurs (compared to managers, for example). Entrepreneurs are often more likely to take risks and rely more on intuition and heuristics. She also examines what motivates people to pursue entrepreneurship. Her key co-authors in this area include Mars Cramer, Laura Rosendahl Huber, Martin Koudstaal, Simon Parker, Randolph Sloof, and Theo Vladasel.
3. Leadership, Teams, Diversity, and Role Models: In several (field) experiments, Van Praag has demonstrated that various aspects of diversity in entrepreneurial teams improve the performance of those teams. Her key co-authors on this theme are Sander Hoogendoorn, Laura Rosendahl Huber, Hessel Oosterbeek, Simon Parker, Vera Rocha, Randolph Sloof, and Theo Vladasel.
4. Nature, Nurture, Education, and Entrepreneurship: Van Praag shows that entrepreneurship is more about "nurture" than "nature"; that the value of education for entrepreneurs is substantial, but that specific entrepreneurship programs often do not achieve the desired effect. Well-designed educational programs, however, can develop essential entrepreneurial skills. Her key collaborators include Laura Rosendahl Huber, Matthew Lindquist, Hessel Oosterbeek, Simon Parker, Randolph Sloof, Justin van der Sluis, Joeri Sol, and Theo Vladasel.
5. Impact of Entrepreneurship: Her research highlights the economic and social importance of entrepreneurship, often through innovation. Co-authors in this domain include Joern Block, Christian Fisch, Jose Millan, Conception Roman, Andre van Stel, and Peter Versloot.

Van Praag’s work is well-published and highly cited.{{cite web | url=https://scholar.google.nl/citations?user=_DG87ikAAAAJ&hl=nl | title=C. Mirjam van Praag }} Through her academic research on entrepreneurship, she has helped strengthen the entrepreneurial climate in the Netherlands.{{cite web | url=https://www.folia.nl/wetenschap/54893 | title=Folia }}

== Key publications ==

• {{cite journal |last1=Zunino |first1=Diego |last2=Dushnitsky |first2=Gary |last3=van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=How Do Investors Evaluate Past Entrepreneurial Failure? Unpacking Failure Due to Lack of Skill versus Bad Luck |journal=Academy of Management Journal |date=August 2022 |volume=65 |issue=4 |pages=1083–1109 |doi=10.5465/amj.2018.0579 }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Rocha |first1=Vera |last2=van Praag |first2=Mirjam |title=Mind the gap: The role of gender in entrepreneurial career choice and social influence by founders |journal=Strategic Management Journal |date=May 2020 |volume=41 |issue=5 |pages=841–866 |doi=10.1002/smj.3135 |url=https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/6a2a22ff-6238-4855-b433-70a881ca8ee6 |hdl=10398/f209ead8-e851-4969-8343-8ff7fafb3631 |hdl-access=free }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Hoogendoorn |first1=Sander |last2=Parker |first2=Simon C. |last3=van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=Smart or Diverse Start-up Teams? Evidence from a Field Experiment |journal=Organization Science |date=December 2017 |volume=28 |issue=6 |pages=1010–1028 |doi=10.1287/orsc.2017.1158 }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Koudstaal |first1=Martin |last2=Sloof |first2=Randolph |last3=van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=Risk, Uncertainty, and Entrepreneurship: Evidence from a Lab-in-the-Field Experiment |journal=Management Science |date=September 2016 |volume=62 |issue=10 |pages=2897–2915 |doi=10.1287/mnsc.2015.2249 |url=https://research-api.cbs.dk/ws/files/58811850/Praag.pdf }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Lindquist |first1=Matthew J. |last2=Sol |first2=Joeri |last3=Van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=Why Do Entrepreneurial Parents Have Entrepreneurial Children? |journal=Journal of Labor Economics |date=2015 |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=269–296 |doi=10.1086/678493 |jstor=10.1086/678493 |url=http://papers.tinbergen.nl/12062.pdf |hdl=11245/1.395582 |ssrn=2101543 }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Huber |first1=Laura Rosendahl |last2=Sloof |first2=Randolph |last3=Van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=The effect of early entrepreneurship education: Evidence from a field experiment |journal=European Economic Review |date=November 2014 |volume=72 |pages=76–97 |doi=10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.09.002 }}

• {{cite journal |last1=Hoogendoorn |first1=Sander |last2=Oosterbeek |first2=Hessel |last3=van Praag |first3=Mirjam |title=The Impact of Gender Diversity on the Performance of Business Teams: Evidence from a Field Experiment |journal=Management Science |date=July 2013 |volume=59 |issue=7 |pages=1514–1528 |doi=10.1287/mnsc.1120.1674 |url=https://papers.tinbergen.nl/11074.pdf }}

== Memberships and awards ==

In 2023, Van Praag received the Frans Banning Cocq Medal from Mayor Femke Halsema upon her departure as chair of the Board of Governors of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in recognition of her contributions to the university and entrepreneurship in the city.{{cite web | url=https://www.amsterdam.nl/bestuur-organisatie/college/onderscheidingen/amsterdammers/persberichten-onderscheidingen-2023/collegevoorzitter-vrije-universiteit/ | title=Collegevoorzitter Vrije Universiteit ontvangt Frans Banninck Cocqpenning }} In 2020, she was elected a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW).

Additionally, Van Praag has been a member of the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW) since 2010, a fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) since 2016, and a fellow of the Tinbergen Institute since 2002. She serves as an "Editorial (advisory) Board Member" for several academic journals in her field.

== Personal life ==

Mirjam van Praag lives in Amsterdam and has a partner. Her two adult children, Sarah (1998) and Boaz (1999), also live in Amsterdam.{{cite web | url=https://fd.nl/samenleving/1487832/mirjam-van-praag-ondernemers-zijn-als-kinderen | title=Mirjam van Praag: 'Ondernemers zijn als kinderen' }}

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Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Dutch economists

Category:20th-century Dutch economists

Category:Dutch people of Jewish descent

Category:Dutch women economists

Category:Dutch econometricians

Category:Dutch women statisticians

Category:Members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

Category:Academic staff of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Category:Women heads of universities and colleges